On Sunday, April 30, 2017 at approximately 5:45 pm the Oak Bay Police Department received a call of a body in the water in the areas of McNeill Bay.  A citizen was near the water’s edge and noted what appeared to be a body in the water adjacent to the shoreline.

Oak Bay Police members attended and confirmed the presence of a human body. With the assistance of the Oak Bay Fire Department, the body was removed from the water and secured on the shore.

The Saanich Police Department Forensic Identification Services and members from the Saanich Detective Division attended to assist with the subsequent investigation.  The Oak Bay and Saanich Police Departments are working closely with the BC Coroner Service to make a positive identification and determine the circumstances of how the body entered the water.

The body appears to be that of a Caucasian male.  No further details are available at this time.

As previously reported, the Oak Bay Police Department is currently conducting a missing person investigation in which Ronald Merner, aged 56 years, was reported missing on April 21, 2017.  We have not confirmed at this time if this matter is related to that missing person investigation or any other outstanding matter.  The investigation is in the early stages.  Out of courtesy, the Merner family have been advised of this recovery.